The present invention generally relates to on-line or web-site registration. More particularly, the present invention relates to a process for verifying an on-line registration by a telephone connection separate from the on-line connection between the web-site and potential registrant. The present invention also relates to a process for notifying registrants of predetermined events using information obtained during the registration process.
With the increasing popularity of the Internet, and web-site surfing and usage, both commercial and personal, it has become increasingly popular to require users to register at the web-site in order to obtain information from the web-site, order goods through the web-site, etc. In some instances, the owners of the web-site wish to use the registration information to selectively target promotions, advertisements, etc. to the registrant and thus get a secondary gain in addition to having the registrant visit the web-site or use the services provided through the web-site. In other instances, the registrant's registration information is not used whatsoever, but instead, the registration information is kept completely confidential and is used only for the purposes of allowing the registrant to enter the web-site and obtain information or goods and services through the web-site.
Authentication is fundamental to every Internet transaction. Individuals and businesses who wish to engage in trade on-line must authenticate themselves by reliably establishing their identity, and presenting credentials as proof of that identity. However, when doing business on the Internet, potential registrants often register with untraceable or false e-mail addresses and phone numbers. This can compromise the intended purpose of the registration, create a breach of security and constitute fraud on the web-site owners.
Aside from Internet transactions, individuals and businesses may wish to have a notification procedure in place. For example, to prevent fraud or identity theft, either the business or individual may wish to be alerted to certain events. For example, a consumer may wish to be notified every time a withdrawal or more than one thousand dollars is requested from his checking account, or charged to his credit card. A business may wish to notify a consumer when more than five transactions post to a consumer's account within twenty-four hours. When credit cards, account numbers, and the like are stolen, these accounts are quickly drained of cash or credit over a short period of time. This can be largely avoided by notifying the account owner of these acts or even seeking his or her authorization before permitting such transactions to occur. Of course, this limits the financial liability for both the bank, as well as the consumer. There are other instances when such notification can be helpful, such as being alerted to when a teenage son or daughter charges more than $500.00 on their credit card, when automatic deposits occur, etc. There are also instances which are not financially based in which notification could benefit both the consumer as well as the business. For example, the consumer may want to be alerted to news information, updated sports scores, etc.
Accordingly, there is a continuing need for a method of verifying a registrant's identity, such as through the registrant's telephone number. There is also a continuing need for a method to notify a registrant, such as through the registrant's telephone number, of events which are established either by the individual registrant or the company through which the registrant is conducting services. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides other related advantages.